This invention relates to a reflective support for photography to be used in a reflective photographic element. Here, the reflective photographic element, as contrasted to the so-called transmission photographic element which projects a photographic image with transmitted light and utilizes its projected image, refers to one by use of an opaque material support having a photographic layer provided thereon, which is ordinarily a photographic element generally called printing paper for viewing directly the photographic image formed on said photographic layer with reflected light.
In the prior art, as the support for reflective photographic element, there have been generally used polyethylene-coated papers having polyethylene layers containing white pigment, etc. kneaded therein provided on base papers manufactured from pulp. However, in the reflective photographic element by use of a polyethylene-coated paper as the support, due to unevenness of the adjacent base paper support, coarse and ripple-like luster surface is obtained, whereby lightness and sharpness of the photographic image and beautifulness due to them is markedly impaired. Also, the both surfaces of the base paper of the support are coated with polyethylene thin films which do not allow water to permeate therethrough, but since the cut face of the base paper is not coated, penetration of developing processing solution, etc. occurred therefrom, thereby involving the drawback of coloration, etc.
As the method for cancelling the above drawback, there have been proposed some methods of employing only a thermoplastic resin film without use of a base paper for the support.
The present inventors disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 118746/1986 (the corresponding U.S. application is Ser. No. 945,207) a reflective photographic element comprising an emulsion coated on a film having its film thickness and whole visible light transmittance within specific ranges formed by addition of a titanium oxide subjected to surface treatment with a mean particle size of 0.1 to 0.5 m to a polyester. However, it was not still satisfactory with respect to whiteness.
Thus, it has been desired to develop a reflective photographic element by use of only a thermoplastic resin without use of base paper for the support, and also having sufficient whiteness.